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05/24/2010 -
PHOENIX (AP) -Steve Nash has a broken nose but says he doesn't expect it to be a problem for him in Game 4 of the Western Conference finals.
The Phoenix playmaker sustained the slight fracture in a fourth-quarter collision with Derek Fisher in the Suns' 118-109 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday night.
He spoke briefly with reporters after practice on Monday before leaving to have the nose put back in place by a specialist.
Nash played the fourth quarter of Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals with his right eye swollen shut after taking an inadvertent elbow from San Antonio's Tim Duncan.
``I'm lucky. I've had a couple bumps or bruises that haven't affected my play,'' Nash said. ``Those don't bother you. It's the ones that limit you that you hope you don't have to face.''
He said he had broken his nose ``a handful'' of times and wasn't planning to wear any protective gear or Manu Ginobili-style tape job for Tuesday night's game.
The 36-year-old point guard and two-time league MVP had 17 points and 15 assists on Sunday night with one turnover in 38 minutes. He could be seen on television trying to slide his nose back into place during the game.
``I was trying to move it while it was still fresh,'' he said. ``I know that once it sets it's harder.''
Lakers coach Phil Jackson was asked if he thought the injury would affect Nash's performance.
``This guy's gone through a lot of stuff the last two or three years in the playoffs. I don't think it's going to bother him,'' Jackson said. ``On second thought, Ginobili, it really curtailed his game. I thought his game really tailed off after the broken nose, so it's probably an individual thing.''
Nash is Canadian, and he joked after his eye injury that his hockey-loving friends make fun of what a soft sport basketball is.
``I think we would have been surprised if he would have gone out of the game,'' Nash's teammate Grant Hill said. ``He's fine. No Friday the 13th mask, no Rip Hamilton mask, no Ginobili tape. He'll be ready to go, so it wasn't that bad.''
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AP sports writer Matt Paulson contributed to this report.Copyright © 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.
<< Top horses maintain positions in NTRA Polls
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Zenyatta and Lookin At Lucky each remain in
first-place in their respective NTRA polls, Undefeated mare Zenyatta is the
overwhelming selection in the national rankings and Lookin At Lucky is the
undispu
<< Suns' Nash has broken nose, won't miss time
Phoenix, AZ (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Phoenix Suns announced Monday that point
guard Steve Nash suffered a minimally displaced nasal fracture with displaced
cartilage in the team's 118-109 win over the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 3 of
the Wes
<< Federer, Djokovic, Murray win French openers
Paris, France (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Roger Federer began defense of his French
Open title with a straight-set win on the second day of play at Roland Garros.
Third-seeded Novak Djokovic and No. 4 seed Andy Murray also moved on in Paris.
The
<< This Week in Golf - May 27th through May 30th
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - PGA TOUR - CROWNE PLAZA INVITATIONAL AT
COLONIAL, Colonial Country Club, Fort Worth, Texas - Once again, the buzz this
week focuses on a possible change atop the world rankings.
Phil Mickelson is in the fi
Mauer leads AL All-Star balloting >>
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Minnesota Twins catcher Joe Mauer is the
top vote-getter after the first set of American League All-Star
balloting results.
The reigning American League Most Valuable Player has drawn
Renteria earns first MLS Player of the Week award >>
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Columbus Crew forward Emilio Renteria was
voted Major League Soccer Player of the Week for Week 9 of the 2010 MLS season
on Monday.
Renteria supplied two goals for the Crew in as many games this wee
Rachel Alexandra working toward next start >>
Louisville, KY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Defending Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra
put in a solid workout Monday morning at Churchill Downs. The four-year-old
filly had Shaun Bridgmohan in the saddle for the five-furlong training
session
Reds put Bailey on DL >>
Cincinnati, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Cincinnati Reds have placed pitcher
Homer Bailey on the 15-day disabled list with right shoulder inflammation.
Bailey left his start Sunday after 2 1/3 innings with shoulder tightness,
charged
(This is an update of a sportsbook for the May 4th issue of ESPN The Magazine).
The Kentucky Derby's post-position draw happened on Wednesday. And, as is always the case, shortly afterwards, a buzz raced around Churchill Downs. It was a low rumble at first, nothing that the squares in the mint julep crowd pick up right away. But by the time the sun set over the twin spires, the chatter was impossible to ignore. Everyone -- sharps, trainers, owners -- was talking about one thing: the wise guy horse, the pre-draw long shot us mopes didn't have on our radar until it was too late.
"You think you're hearing the scoop," says handicapper Lane Gold. "Then you get to the window, the odds are short, and you missed it."
Recognizing a wise-guy horse early is as hard as picking a Derby bonnet. That's because handicappers don't like hype (see ya, I Want Revenge). They want Thoroughbreds who look good losing prep races like the Santa Anita Derby. They eye horses who ate up the field after starting wide or made an easy transition from synthetic tracks to dirt. They look for ponies who showed muscle gain race to race and those who ran hard after several weeks' rest.
"A wise guy," says John Avello, a bookmaker at Wynn Las Vegas, "looks for a horse who can improve."
When I first wrote Horse Betting for The Mag, which I turned in a three weeks before Wednesday's draw, I predicted these three horses had wise guy potential:
CHOCOLATE CANDY (15-1 in mid-April, currently 20-1 according to Avello): His second-place finish at Santa Anita, following a seven-week layoff, proved two things: He can run after resting, and -- by losing a high-profile prep race -- he wouldn't be overhyped.
DESERT PARTY (15-1; 15-1): He was upset in the UAE Derby by a horse he had beaten twice. The public remembers his loss, but the wise guys his wins.
PIONEEROF THE NILE (8-1; 4-1): The big favorite at Santa Anita struggled to win, so he initially got less hype than Quality Road and I Want Revenge.
You may have noticed that the odds on Pioneerof the Nile have been cut in half, from 8-1 to 4-1. Which means the wise guys took a shine to him long before the post-position draw. But, to be honest, this is one of those years with four elite horses getting everyone's attention, squares and sharps alike.
"You're not gonna get a lot of chatter about a horse that isn't in that group, which includes Pioneer, I Want Revenge, Dunkirk and Friesan Fire," Avello told me Wednesday. "We don't have a group of horses behind those top four who look like real legit contenders."
Come Derby week, the final two elements in picking a wise guy horse are how he's working out and what gate he's coming out of.
(By the way, picking a Preakness favorite is a whole different bale of hay, partially based on how horses finish in the Derby. You can see my analysis of who has the best shot at Pimlico on Insider Sunday morning.)
Well, early in the week I Want Revenge, Pioneerof the Nile and Friesan Fire were working out better than anyone. Some thought Friesan Fire, currently 6-1, might have run too fast, burning a five-furlong run in :57 4/5. "When you are running that fast you have the sense that it took something out of him," says Gold. "The Derby is longer than any horse has run, and if they need that extra surge you worry they won't have it because they burned it in the workout."
But, Gold points out, Friesan Fire's trainer is Larry Jones, Two years ago his horse Hard Spun did a five-eighths workout in :57 3/5 and then went on to finish second, behind Street Sense, in the Derby. "Every trainer has different methods," says Gold. "And clearly he knows what he's doing."
Now, as for starting position, Gold says to remember this: Churchill Downs traditionally has 14 starting gates. For the Derby, it brings out auxiliary gates and between the original 14th gate and the new 15th gate, there is a little more space than there is between gates 1-14. "That 15 position will give you a precious second or two to sort out what's happening to your inside," says Gold. "Sixteen is also okay because you can follow the horse in front of you."
Dunkirk, one of the race favorites, is coming out of gate 15. In 16 is Baffert's Pioneerof the Nile. I Want Revenge drew 13, where Smarty Jones won from in 2004, and Friesan Fire picked the sixth position. "He doesn't have a lot of speed to the inside of him," says Gold. "So he will get a clear shot to be near the front."
All the jibber-jabber means this: Pioneerof the Nile has leapfrogged from 8-1 to being the second favorite, along with Dunkirk, behind I Want Revenge. Meanwhile, Friesan Fire, with a good trainer, a strong week of training and a decent post position, is still at 6-1. "By Saturday, it's possible he could go from fourth to the favorite," says Gold.
In other words, meet Friesan Fire, your 2009 wise guy horse.
"Now," says Avello, "it's time for action."
To visit this horse betting site go to MySportsbook.com for all your horse racing betting needs.
New York, NY – October 3, 2007 – The dress rehearsal is over! The NHL preseason has ended and now that fans have had a glimpse of what is to come it is time to hit the book! Stanley Cup odds are live at MySportsbook.com, the world’s largest online sportsbook and casino.
The Ottawa Senators and Detroit Red Wings remain on top of the odds charts after an impressive start in the preseason. Betting lines opened for both teams at 6-1 in June. Since then the Sens have fallen to 7-1 and the Red Wings are now caught in a pack including the defending champion Carolina Hurricanes, the San Jose Sharks and the Anaheim Ducks, all at 10-1.
MySportsbook.com has also posted props on each team’s point total for the regular season. The Senators lead the charge at 108.5 followed by the Ducks at 106.5. Detroit will attempt a repeat for the prize as the Red Wings are deadlocked with the Predators at 104.5 a piece. The temporary loss of highly touted rookie Evgeni Malkin puts a lot of pressure on the stick of assistant captain Sidney Crosby - his lowly Pittsburgh Penguins are listed at 71.5.
Even if bettors are not brave enough to put their money on the underdog, an early bet on the favorites at sportsbook.com tends to produce bigger payouts than a mid-season wager. Placing a $1,000 bet last summer on the Detroit Red Wings or Ottawa Senators would have paid out to $8,000 and $10,000 respectively, opposed to a $2,500 or $3,000 payout at the beginning of the playoffs.
| Ottawa Senators Detroit Red Wings Carolina Hurricanes San Jose Sharks Anaheim Ducks Philadelphia Flyers Calgary Flames New Jersey Devils Buffalo Sabres Dallas Stars New York Rangers Nashville Predators Vancouver Canucks Colorado Avalanche Minnesota Wild Tampa Bay Lightning Boston Bruins Florida Panthers Montreal Canadiens Atlanta Thrashers Toronto Maple Leafs Edmonton Oilers Phoenix Coyotes Los Angeles Kings New York Islanders Columbus Blue Jackets St. Louis Blues Pittsburgh Penguins Washington Capitals Chicago Blackhawks |
7-1 10-1 10-1 10-1 10-1 12-1 12-1 12-1 12-1 15-1 15-1 15-1 20-1 20-1 25-1 25-1 30-1 30-1 30-1 30-1 30-1 30-1 40-1 40-1 50-1 50-1 80-1 80-1 100-1 100-1 |
NHL Regular Season Points - Team Must Play 82 Games
| Team Ottawa Senators Anaheim Ducks Detroit Red Wings Nashville Predators San Jose Sharks Calgary Flames Philadelphia Flyers New Jersey Devils Buffalo Sabres Carolina Hurricanes Dallas Stars New York Rangers Minnesota Wild Atlanta Thrashers Montreal Canadiens Team Los Angeles Kings Tampa Bay Lightening Vancouver Canucks Boston Bruins Colorado Avalanche Edmonton Oilers Phoenix Coyotes Toronto Maple Leafs Florida Panthers Columbus Blue Jackets New York Islanders Chicago Blackhawks St. Louis Blues Washington Capitals Pittsburgh Penguins |
Over/Under 108.5 106.5 104.5 104.5 103.5 101.5 100.5 99.5 97.5 97.5 97.5 95.5 94.5 93.5 92.5 Over/Under 91.5 91.5 91.5 89.5 89.5 88.5 88.5 86.5 84.5 82.5 80.5 72.5 72.5 72.5 71.5 |
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your hockey sportsbook needs.
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